Chapter 219 Requesting for Permission

When Chen Heng returned home, he went to his room to change into his regular clothes. Seeing that he was in a hurry, Xinda knew that he had something important to do.

"Second brother, are you going out?"

After all, he was someone close to him, so it was not difficult to be guessed. Chen Heng smiled and nodded, "Do you remember Du Yunjing? I have made appointments with him several times, and this time I finally got time. I was thinking of going out for dinner tonight..."

He and Du Yunjing, one was in the Ministry of War and the other in the Hanlin Academy, and they were busy with their own things every day. If it hadn't happened that he was promoted and transferred to the ministry this time, it might not have been so early.

"Okay." Xinda hurriedly began to pack himself up and prepare to go out with his brother.

After changing his clothes, Chen Heng took the lead to greet the two elders first, and also said that he would not have dinner at home.

The child has grown up and has his own social circle. Lin Ruhai naturally would not stop him, and did not even tell him to drink. He just told the young man to have fun.

"Remember to take the carriage." Jia Min was more careful. Although Xinda had some strength, if Chen Heng was drunk outside, it would be inconvenient on the way back, so she let the child go out in her own car.

Chen Heng accepted the kindness and greeted the two elders. He hurried out again, and not far away, he ran into Daiyu who came after hearing the sound. This girl has been feeling suffocated at home recently, and often misses the freedom of Yangzhou. When she heard that her brother was going out to meet guests, she couldn't help but show envy.

Women in this era really need a good attitude, otherwise how can they resist the boredom of the backyard every day. Chen Heng saw Daiyu reluctantly sending him out, and guessed his sister's thoughts.

"Sister..." The boy stopped at the door railing, keeping the posture of taking one step out and one step back inside the door. Lin Daiyu held her breath, and her eyes moved with the sound, with a little joy in her heart, looking at her brother's deep eyes as black as ink.

"Do you want to go out with me?"

"Ah?!" Daiyu was startled, and her mind was immediately in a mess. In just a moment, she wanted to fly out with her brother, but thinking of Jia Min's control, she hesitated and said, "I'm afraid it's not a good idea."

After all, this is not Yangzhou. There are many rules and face to consider in the capital.

"Wouldn't it be better to change into a man's dress?" Chen Heng didn't know what was wrong with him today, and he kept tempting the girl, "I'm afraid you can't stand this boredom if you stay at home every day."

The brother's gentle words struck the girl's heart. Daiyu was also a bold person, and thinking that she had her father to support her, she immediately said: "Brother, wait for me in the car."

Even if this house has a thousand good things, she was tired and irritated after looking at it day by day. Housework and playing the piano are not her favorites. Poetry, calligraphy and painting are also flipped over and over again.

"Well." Chen Heng curled his lips and said nothing more. He only led Xinda out of the door first, and then waved away the servants who were about to get up to drive the car, leaving the job to his younger brother.

They waited in the car for a long time before Daiyu, who had gone back, slipped into the car in a green dress and a small hat. It was rare to do a few things in her life that she was very proud of. Before she even sat down, she had already urged, "Brother, hurry up..."

Sister Lin was afraid that Jia Min would get the letter and send someone to chase her out and take her back.

"Xinda." Chen Heng also said with a smile.

"Hey." There was a response from outside, and then there was a whip sound.

As soon as they drove away, the nanny beside Jia Min chased out. Seeing that there was no trace of the young master and the young lady at the door, she reluctantly went back to report to her mistress.

"Hey." Jia Min was even more worried when she learned about this. Heng'er is usually calm, why is he so reckless today?

Lin Ruhai, however, was somewhat indifferent. He had already regarded Chen Heng as half a son-in-law, and was even more unwilling to care about the mischief of the younger generation. "It's good to go out for a walk. Yu'er is bored at home every day, and she just needs someone to play with her."

"You father and daughter are very united."

"Hahaha, in my opinion, Heng'er may have come to his senses. Madam, wait a few more days, I guess he will have some bad things to say." Lin Ruhai thought that Chen Heng was going to see Du Yunjing today, and he wanted to bring Yu'er with him. Maybe he was using this opportunity to express his feelings to himself and Jia Min, and at the same time he was also testing the intentions of the two elders.

The little rascal actually used what he taught him on the venerable. Lin Ruhai laughed heartily a few times, and just pulled Jia Min to accompany his son for dinner.

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As soon as she left home, Daiyu's mood was like a nightingale dancing on a spring branch, and she was giggling from beginning to end. She hadn't gone out alone for a long time. Today, Jia Min was not there to restrain her, and Chen Heng was an excellent companion.

"Don't you want to lift the curtain and take a look?" Chen Heng couldn't help but encourage her when he saw her laughing with her hands covering her mouth.

"Okay." Lin Daiyu happily agreed, like a child, she lifted a corner of the curtain and secretly peeked at the world outside.

The scenery along the way is self-evident. The sunset is still in the sky, and even more in the tiles on the corners of the street, in the tattered clothes of the pedestrians, and in the laughter and chatter in the wind. Chen Heng already knew a lot of places, so he sat opposite his sister, pointed to a few shops and talked about the fun and delicious things inside.

Xinda is really a smart brother who knows the importance of driving slowly. Listening to the laughter in the car, the young man driving the car couldn't help but show some joy.

After slowly arriving at the gathering place, Chen Heng led Daiyu out of the car. The two walked side by side to the restaurant, and when they went upstairs, they saw Du Yunjing waving at them.

"Who is this?" Du Yunjing hesitated and looked at Daiyu dressed as a man.

"She." Chen Heng smiled and said, "She is my... confidant. Just call her Brother Lin." Turning around, he introduced the two of them to Daiyu, "This It’s Brother Du Yunjing, and this is Brother Cui Youdao.”

Du Yunjing nodded, although he didn't know the deeper meaning of Chen Heng's bringing people here. But since the other person is said to be his confidant, he must be an extremely good friend.

The four of them sat at the same table, and Chen Heng was also a little surprised that Du Yunjing would entertain Cui Youdao at a banquet. Cui Youdao was very silent today and didn't pay much attention to Lin Daiyu's appearance. He only tilted his head and glanced at Chen Heng a few more times.

After finishing some small talk before getting down to business, Du Yunjing couldn't help but hold the wine glass and said to Chen Heng: "Chixing, I invite you here today because I want you to help me persuade Brother Cui."

Brother Cui? ! When did the relationship between these two people become so good? When they were studying in the academy, they didn't deal with each other. Chen Heng was confused, and Lin Daiyu was even more puzzled. She had also heard her brother talk about the conflict between Cui and Du.

"Brother Cui, did you run into some trouble?"

Chen Heng asked cautiously. He knew that Cui Youdao was arrogant and never allowed others to look down on him easily.

Because Daiyu, an outsider, was present, Cui Youdao looked very embarrassed and seemed unwilling to talk more. Du Yunjing, however, was very anxious for justice and said directly on behalf of the other party: "I heard from my colleagues last time that he went to the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet of the Royal Palace with Hanlin, who was in the previous department."

Chen Heng was stunned for a moment, not expecting Cui Youdao to do such a thing. Du Yunjing poured wine for several people while talking about Cui Youdao's situation. Nowadays, all the good seats in the imperial court are reserved early. Cui Youdao is a second-ranked Jinshi, so his talent and ability are naturally good.

But in officialdom, one's butt determines one's head. The bastard Cai Jing completely tore open the fig leaf of civil servants all over the world by saying, "It is necessary to be both a good person and a high-ranking official. How can there be such a beautiful thing in the world?"

Du Yunjing always spoke quickly and urgently, and did not pay attention to Cui Youdao's expression change at all. The former had just finished speaking, and Chen Heng didn't even have time to speak. The latter already wanted to get up and leave.

The two people in front of him were both his classmates who were suppressed by him in the academy. Now one has entered the house of the Minister of Rites, and the other has received special treatment from His Majesty. When Chen Heng and Yao Ziran went to Linjing Hall to see the saint for the first time, Cui Youdao was the living man that day.

He heard with his own ears that Li Zhi addressed Chen Heng as Chen Qing, Chi Xing, etc. in private. Cui Youdao thought about himself again. The Imperial Academy had been dormant for three years, but His Majesty didn't even know his name. How could he not be annoyed or anxious?

Seeing Cui Youdao sitting back and about to leave, Du Yunjing slammed the table angrily and said: "Cui Youdao, if you dare to leave today, we will be enemies from now on."

"He is worthy of being the son-in-law of the Minister of Rites. The way he talks now is different." How could Cui Youdao be afraid of him? He immediately showed a bit of sarcasm on his face. Feeling overwhelmed, he was about to turn around.

"We just met, why are we leaving?" Chen Heng quickly reached out and grabbed Cui Youdao's sleeve, although he didn't know Du Yunjing's intention of inviting him here. But after all, the three of them are fellow villagers and even classmates. Even if their relationship was not good in the past, how could Chen Heng sit back and watch the two of them become enemies.

After all the good and bad words, it turns out that I can’t reach out and hit the smiling person. After Chen Heng persuaded him several times, Cui Youdao reluctantly sat down and drank.

"Do you think I'm here to help you out of kindness?" Du Yunjing was still merciless when he spoke, "You overpowered me in the provincial examination and took away the position of Jie Yuan that I longed for. If you don't pass well, you will succeed. I don’t know how happy I feel to be a guard dog wagging its tail in front of someone else’s door..."

"But you really want to do this? How can you deserve my three years of study abroad?" Du Yunjing said bitterly, "Do you know how I got through those three years? Cui Youdao, I'm afraid you can't understand it."

"Every day when I want to relax and have fun, I think of you being so proud at the Deer Ming Banquet. You..." Du Yunjing sighed, "You are the Jieyuan of our subject, why are you here? Don't you feel sad?" ? Don’t you regret it?”

"You have just entered the capital, and you don't know what officialdom is." Cui Youdao said in an impatient tone, arguing for himself, "If you watch more of the struggle between the two parties, you will know that if you want to gain a foothold in officialdom, you can only rely on talent, learning, and ambition. Use a little None. There has to be someone above me. If there is no one, you will be on pins and needles, unable to move. Do you want me to waste my time in this place and spend the rest of my life in a daze?"

After all, Cui Youdao was holding back his anger. Until now, after failing the exam, several of his favorite positions were taken away from him. Seeing that several of his colleagues who were inferior to him in the past were all taking advantage of him. How he is not impatient and impatient.

Chen Heng had been listening silently. He did not judge Cui Youdao's thoughts in a condescending manner. The theory sounds nice, but if you think about it, can people really not forget their original intentions and keep the beginning and end in the face of reality?

"Do you think I don't want to be upright?" Cui Youdao's tone gradually rose, full of anger, "But who among them has ever looked at me and cared about what I think? Where did I come from? What is my name?"

"So you want to go to Xungui?" Du Yunjing became angrier as he listened. Ever since he entered Leyi Academy, he had regarded Cui Youdao as his target to catch up with. Now that he is about to spread his wings and fly high, why does Cui Youdao have to surrender?

"Okay, both of you, stop for a moment." Chen Heng advised, he was now the one with the highest official position among the three. This time, the other two people had to stop bickering.

Chen Heng paused for a moment, knowing that Cui Youdao was now at a crossroads in life. Every young person full of ideals, when confronting reality. Probably has to go through four stages: 'do something', 'difficult to do something', 'do nothing', 'do whatever one wants'.

No one can help Cui Youdao with this crux. Chen Heng deeply understands the importance of what he will say next. If he doesn't word it well, it will only leave Cui Youdao with a feeling that you can be so condescending just because someone appreciates you?

"Brother Cui..." Chen Heng said cautiously, "Do you still remember your ambition when you were studying?"

"Naturally, it is to assist the country and the people." Cui Youdao said proudly. He was also a child of destiny and a peer who saw all the flowers in Yangzhou in one day.

"Then does this ambition have to be accomplished by becoming a high official?"

"Does Zhixing want to argue with me about the way of the saints that 'this heart is complete, and does not need to seek outside'?" Cui Youdao showed some disdain on his face. When it comes to eloquence, Cui Youdao has never been afraid of anyone.

Chen Heng shook his head and said, "Brother Cui is an unparalleled eloquence, I know it very well. But..." Chen Heng looked at Cui Youdao deeply, "Brother Cui, when you are really old, will you regret not becoming a high-ranking official, or regret not realizing your ambitions?"

Cui Youdao is a very talented young man. Chen Heng knows that there is no need to talk too much about big principles for such a person. Cui Youdao can figure out the principles of the world by himself. Chen Heng stopped at the point and led the topic to a more relaxed place.

"No matter what choice you make, it's okay to go to the palace to make friends with some noble ministers. Li Bai and Wang Mojie will also write poems and compose music for Princess Yuzhen. Half of the body is covered in mud, and everyone knows that the road is difficult." Chen Heng's gentle and sincere tone rang in Cui Youdao's ears. The latter was also listening, and his face gradually calmed down.

"Chixing, you..." Du Yunjing invited Chen Heng to come here just to be a lobbyist with him, so why did he try to excuse Cui Youdao?

Chen Heng shook his head at him and continued, "Brother Cui, just think clearly, is it for the people to be dedicated to the whole. Or is it for the high position and generous salary, and you are self-degrading. Thinking about this is far more important than discussing the palace."

Cui Youdao actually already had the answer in his heart. He was already in his twenties and had seen the two most famous cities in the world, but he had to ask knowingly: "What is the difference between the two?"

"Hu Zongxian can still be considered a famous minister, and even if Yan Song lives another hundred years, he will not be able to turn over in the glorious history." Chen Heng answered loudly.

Cui Youdao, who has read a lot of history books, how could he not know the names and lives of these two people? He sighed and said, "I know."

The reputation after death is the most important thing for scholars in the world.

If there is a choice, who would be willing to bear the infamy of the ages and let the world spit on him.

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The meal in the restaurant was not a happy one. Cui Youdao sat for a while and then got up and left. Du Yunjing was not a good chatterbox. Chen Heng ate for a while and then took Daiyu to say goodbye.

After saying goodbye to Du Yunjing, who was worried, Chen and Lin first strolled around the streets of the capital. After just having a meal, taking a walk to digest the food is a good way to maintain health. You can also eat some delicious snacks on the way. Because of the quarrel in the restaurant last time, Chen Heng tried his best to talk more with Daiyu at this time to relax her.

Along the way, the couple continued to talk about Cui You. Just as the shops on the street were hanging up lanterns of all colors, Daiyu followed her brother closely with her hands behind her back, sighing, "Today I know how difficult it is to be a man."

"Yeah." Chen Heng also sighed, "Brother Cui is a talented person, he should not be trapped by the current situation here, I just hope he can make the choice he wants."

Before leaving, Chen Heng recommended two places for Cui Youdao to serve as an official. One is Qingniwa, which is in need of reconstruction. As long as the sea transportation goes smoothly, there will be many high-ranking officials here. But for now, we have to stay dormant and cultivate deeply, and do some work to plant trees for the predecessors and enjoy the shade for the future generations.

The second is Guangzhou. After the provincial examination next year, the governor here will be promoted, and there will be changes in the officialdom soon, and there are trees planted by the predecessors. As long as he goes there, within a few years, he can also take advantage of the trend of sea transportation and return to the capital to serve.

But his political achievements in Guangzhou must not be as dazzling as those in Qingniwa. The latter is to build a tall building on flat ground. As long as it is done, it can be regarded as a great achievement. If it is beautiful enough, it will be enough to enjoy for a lifetime.

"Brother, what do you think Brother Cui will choose?" Lin Daiyu took small steps, the light shining on her face. Chen Heng glanced at her and quickly looked away, "I don't know either."

Lin Daiyu chuckled, put her feet together, and took a small step forward. After the light body jumped out of the arc. The girl asked again, "Then brother, if you were in his situation, what would you choose?"

Chen Heng guessed that his sister would ask this, and he looked up at the night view of the streets of the capital. After taking a step forward to think, he said, "If you can help the people of a county, help the people of a county. If you can help a prefecture, help a prefecture."

At this point, the meaning that should be conveyed has been conveyed. Chen Heng smiled and said, "If you are really unlucky, you can be a seventh-rank county magistrate. It's okay to take care of your wife and children and settle down for a while."

"I thought...brother's heart is full of ambitions." When Sister Lin said this, her face was flushed, and I don't know if it was because of the cold wind.

Chen Heng tilted his head and suddenly said quietly: "With beautiful mountains and rivers, there will naturally be the moon on the treetops."

For the first time, Lin Daiyu stopped and looked at the young man under the red light. The other's gaze was like a sharp knife piercing her heart, and then turned into the spring breeze of March, sneaking into the night with the wind.

"Brother..." Daiyu's face flushed even more, she was still a little bit unbelieving. For a moment, she thought she had heard wrongly, brother, this dull block, could actually come to her senses. After hesitating for a moment, she said in a panic, "It's really strange, how can an iron tree bloom."

Chen Heng also understood, and he was excited for a moment. The second brother really didn't lie to him, Sister Lin really had him in her heart. He was about to say a thousand words, but his heart was pounding at this moment. It really made people lose their lips and tongues, and they couldn't even say a word.

The two walked away in silence for a while, enjoying the inexplicable atmosphere surrounding them. Chen Heng suddenly laughed, and Daiyu thought her brother was laughing at her, so she immediately scolded him, "What are you laughing at, brother?"

"I was thinking, what should I use to answer the four words 'iron tree blooms'."

"How difficult is that?" Daiyu rolled her eyes, and had already come up with a plan, "I thought of..."

Before she finished her words, Daiyu had lost her voice, and she didn't know how to say it.

Chen Heng took over her words and said, "Sister, what you think of is the seas and rocks crumbling."

"No." For some reason, Daiyu ran in front of Chen Heng quickly, turned around and made a face. She asked with a smile, "Why can't it be a vow of love?"

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The Six Departments, like the Hanlin Academy, have a very conspicuous advantage, that is, they are often summoned by Li Zhi to answer questions. However, most of the Hanlins do some clerical work for the daily records, and only the officials of the Six Departments can often show up in front of Li Zhi.

Recently, few high-ranking officials in the court have troubled Li Zhi with things. Knowing that this was a sincere gesture from his minister, Li Zhi also accepted it with a smile. After today's small court meeting, Li Zhi had a rare free time, so he summoned Chen Heng to the garden.

"I heard that Zhixing's chess skills were learned from Lin Qing?"

Chen Heng panicked and replied nervously: "Can't be called a teacher? I just learned a little bit. My chess skills are not comparable to those of my teacher. It would be embarrassing if I told others about it."

"No problem, come and play a game with me." Li Zhi was in a very good mood and strongly invited Chen Heng to sit down. The latter could not refuse, so he had to turn around cautiously, sit on the stone bench in the pavilion, and start thinking about the chess moves with the white pieces.

It should be said that some people's level. Only after playing chess can you have a real sense of reality. Chen Heng actually felt that he and Li Zhi played back and forth. For a moment, he was not sure whether his chess skills had improved greatly.

It was probably because Chen Heng's every move was carefully considered that made Li Zhi feel that he had played so much for the first time. After they played one or two games, Li Zhi asked about his life, asked about his recent situation, and whether he had encountered any difficulties.

Chen Heng secretly sighed that the opportunity came at a good time, and it was really easy to get, and hurriedly said: "I really have something to ask for your Majesty's order."

"Oh?" Li Zhi raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Is there anything else that your teacher can't solve, and you need to ask me for help." He dropped the black pieces in his hand and asked, "Chixing, just tell me."

I didn't rest well these two days, and I felt like my uncle came. I started to have a headache after writing four or five thousand words. It's really distressing. I'll take a day off today and drink some wine to help me sleep.